Utility companies typically rely on meter reading technology to determine their customer's rates of utility consumption. In some utility meter reading applications, operators drive vehicles having radio-equipped data collection units around an area to read electric, gas, and/or water meters. The meters are equipped with modules that allow them to send and receive signals. This style of meter reading, sometimes referred to as mobile automatic meter reading (MAMR), allows meter reading to be completed without direct access to the meter.
MAMR is sometimes used in saturated areas where there may be large populations of meters, difficult-to-access meters, or hazardous-to-read meters. When used in such areas, MAMR can dramatically improve meter reading efficiency. For example, a single data command unit transceiver reads an average of 10,000-12,000 meters in an eight-hour shift, and can read up to 24,000 meters per day, depending on meter density and system use.
Routes for MAMR are typically defined geographically and may include hundreds or thousands of meters. The meters on the route are read using one or more techniques. For example, with a wake-up technique, an operator navigates a MAMR-equipped vehicle through an area. The MAMR equipment on the vehicle sends wakeup signals to notify the meters in the area to send meter reading data. With a bubble-up technique, the MAMR equipment on the vehicle simply picks up broadcasted signals from all meters in its vicinity.
To determine the location of meters in a route, MAMR systems typically rely on route information provided by the utility. In some cases, the route information includes a list that identifies each meter using a unique ID assigned to the meter and address information relating to the meter's location (e.g., street/building address). The route information is typically formulated in advance of driving the route, and is often based on the geographic location of each meter relative to other meters in the route. For example, a MAMR route may have starting and ending points, and meters are read according to proximity from a vehicle moving between the starting and ending points.
The route information may be displayed to the operator of the MAMR vehicle in one or more forms (e.g., map, directions, address list, etc.), so that the operator knows where to navigate the MAMR vehicle to best perform the route. Typically, the operator of the MAMR vehicle pulls over to the side of the road to view the route information and/or otherwise interact with the MAMR system, such as when providing input to the MAMR system or requesting information. Among other problems, this is time consuming and/or may result in error-prone information exchanges between the operator and the MAMR system.
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention. In the drawings, the same reference numbers identify identical or substantially similar elements or acts. To facilitate the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced (e.g., element 204 is first introduced and discussed with respect to FIG. 2).
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